Please Help Us Go Home!!!

With the change in the adoption laws in Guatemala, many children, who have adoptive families have been left in limbo. Please watch the video on this post and if you would like more information on how you can help you can join the Yahoo Group, Semillasdeamorconnection or check http://childrenofsemillasdeamor.blogspot.com/ We need your help now, more than ever.

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Parramos Update

Waiting for the electricity to be installed in Parramos has been such a long struggle. There are many days I feel like it will never happen. We've been told, one more time, 15-20 days. Who knows.

In preparation for our move we have been doing some cleaning. Moving out a few unwanted visitors, rats and bats. The landscaping is growing quickly with all the rain we have had.

We have measured inside and out to prepare for painting but need paint and painters.

As we measured I handed my camera to the kids and told them to take some photos. The slide show of photos were taken by Gaby, Daisy and Santos. Their views of the children's village.

Let's hope we have electricity soon!

Homemade Donuts.....Yummm

Friday our donut makers, with the help of the secret donut recipe from our cleaning lady Vilma, made 80 donuts for all of us. What a treat!!

Even More Harassment by the Guatemalan Government

The last two months have been a nightmare. And extremely stressful on all of us. I am adding a post to update everyone on the most recent attack on Semillas de Amor and me personally.

I refer to the Ministerio Publico (MP) that is basically equivalent to the District Attorney's Office. The PGN or Procuraduria General de la Nacion is equal, more or less, to the Attorney General's office.

Our "raid" that we expected yesterday or today could have truly been a raid on our home except for the fact that the Ministerio Publico lawyers handling the case used common sense and did not have their own agenda.

One of the few good things about being "pissed on" by the Guatemalan government is that one meets a few people that do care about the kids and are smart and use commonsense. Building those relationships and trust is very important.

So this morning when I was told that there were two men at the door to see me I was glad it was only two and hoping it wasn't something bad. The two reps from the MP said they were sorry to bring me bad news and I invited them in. All the kids were eating donuts that Gaby, Daisy and Santos had made with Ceci and our cleaning lady Vilma. Vilma had the magic recipe for donuts. The kids were having so much fun. I thought I would show the MP the kids and treat them to donuts. I jokingly said, " the ministerio publico is here to test out your donuts" and I could see the look of fear of the faces of the adults. The kids were just happy to eat and share their donuts.

I knew the situation was most likely serious so we went into my office to talk. I called our lawyer so he could sort out the legalese. I spoke to the MP for quite some time. They told me the charges from the PGN were very serious and called to have me arrested and all 51 children taken.

I was somewhat surprised that the PGN was still after us since the PGN lawyer in Chimaltenango, the famous Rigoberto Duarte, was fired from the PGN for harassing us and putting on such a show. I am sure that Duarte has his "friends" in PGN and they still want to get to us.

In order to comply with the MP we must bring in all 51 birth mothers to ratify their signatures and be interviewed by the MP. We don't expect this to be a problem but they cannot start the interviews until we have the original files that were kidnapped from us. The MP will have to request them from the "sala" in Guatemala City.


It was made very clear to me in the meeting with the MP that the PGN was after me specifically. I told them what had happened in the two raids and what was going on in the birth mom interviews in PGN. It was recommended that I file a criminal complaint against PGN for violating the children's rights, the home's rights as well as the rights of the birth moms. After I explained what transpired in the two raids and with Duarte they said they were sure PGN was after me. They mentioned that both the MP and Human Rights had said birth mother rights were being violated in these interviews.

It makes me sad that this his happening but I insist that we keep everything in the children's home as normal as possible. The kids don't need this kind of stress. They need to make donuts, enjoy their donuts and go horseback riding. They just need to be kids and not be afraid. It is so important to keep them safe.

On a very happy note the little girl that was grabbed from her birth mom's arms during a PGN interview by 8 PGN reps was legally returned today. I went into Guatemala City, with the adoptive family, to pick her up at the children's home where she was placed.

So for the time being I am not in the "slammer" and all kids, minus one, are safe and sound at Semillas.

You don't need to guess why people do not fight back here. When they do there are enormous repercussions. I often wonder if I had been Guatemalan if I would have been arrested a long time ago for some trumped up charge or another.

In the meantime we will be dealing with the MP in the organized crime division where PGN sent our case.

When I came to Guatemala 14 years ago to help children little did I know that one day I would end up with such a fight. But like all mothers we fight for our kids. I just happen to have over 50 right now but they all deserve the best chance possible.


Our kids at Semillas de Amor and all the kids in Guatemala stuck in children's home and unable to be adopted need to have not one voice but many voices advocating for them.